8th Grade ~ Religious Persecution

Listed below are sources that you may find helpful for your research. Since most of this research is considered current events, you will need to use different sources than you have used for other research.
For an overview of religious persecution around the world, please see the article "Religious Freedom Around the World" in Current Issues. See also the volumes of The Catholic Encyclopedia refereing to Christianity in specific countries. See Mrs.Sweeny for these reference books.

Destiny Home Page databases:

If you select SIRS - Use these search terms:

1. religious tolerance
2. freedom of religion

After searching, select the NEWS and / or MAGAZINES tabs.

If you select EbscoHost. Use the search terms above as well as these search terms listed below:

1. "religious rights" AND repression
2. "religious rights" AND persecution
3. catholics AND persecution (on the advanced search) - or substitute another religion for "catholics"
4. religious liberty
5. communism and religion
6. religion and state or religion and politics

On Gale - select Student Resource Center Junior. (Do not use Powersearch option). You can choose to limit your searching to magazines and news by selecting the appropriate tabs. Use these search terms:

1. freedom of religion
2. Christian persecution

You will find the information you need on the Magazines and / or News tabs. Please make sure that you select these tabs when reviewing your hits.

The free web (aka "the Internet"):

From the Destiny catalog page, select WebPath Express. Go to the Visual search tab and select Religion > Persecution. This will link you to specific web sites focusing on religious persecution.

Additional websites:

Freedom House - Dedicated to human rights worldwide. Search "religion" or "religious persecution" and look for results under these tabs: Press Releases / In the News / Reports.

Center for Religious Freedom(Hudson House) - If this doesn't open to the Religious Freedom page, select "Policy Centers" > Religious Freedom. The reading level may bea challenge but it provides good information on the state of religious freedom around the world.

Suffering and Persecution of Christians - Provides assistance, advocacy and awareness.

The Voice of the Martyrs (also on Destiny WebPath Express) - A global perspective on religious persecution.

The Catholic Herald - British on-line newspaper dated 2008 with a front page story on global persecution of the Church.

Aid to the Church in Need - Information on persecuted and oppressed Christians.

Pope Decries Wounds- ABC news article on Pope Benedict's efforts to revitalize religious faith that was oppressed in Czechoslovakia. Note: you may find additional information on current events regarding religious oppression and persecution on the archives of other news organization websites.

Global Religious Persecution - 2001 article on U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. See if you can find an update to these statistics.

8th grade ~ World Religions

See also: print resources / Destiny databases. UXL World Religions is available as an e-book. Select the Gale Virtual Reference Library database and then select "show all". Look for this title under Religion
Note: Religions listed on the assignment are noted with a

General links:

From Jesus to Christ - An on-line exhibit showing controversial evidence challenging assumptions about the life of Jesus and the rise of Christianity.
Relgion and Ethics- BBC site with information on all religions, including beliefs, worship and history. A good starting point.
Religion Facts - General gateway site with useful information but may be difficult to find due to advertising. Interesting comparison charts of various Christian religions.
What is Christianity?- An introduction to Christianity that summarizes Christian beliefs.

Eastern Orthodoxy

Greek Archdiocese of America - Describes Orthodox ritual and doctrine. The Orthodox Catholic Church is one of three major divisions of Christianity.
Orthodox Church in America - Introduction to various denominations of the Orthodox Church, including the Churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Russia, Georgia, and Greece.

Eastern Religions

Essentials of Buddhism - A very basic site with little narrative. Information is useful but will need to be supplemented. See also: Religion and Ethics site above. Be aware that there are two main branches of Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayand (also known as Zen or Tibetian Buddhism)
Official Site of the Dalai Lama - Biography, teachings and speeches of the 14th Dalai Lama.
Elements of Hinduism - Click on the "Enter" button, not the menu on the right.
Hinduism - Includes information on beliefs, history and terms.
Hinduism - Provides information on worship, sacred texts and life stages.

Islam

Islam and Muslims- Provides an explanation of the Muslim faith. Links within site provide additional information. Official site of the Saudi Embassy.
Religion and Ethics - BBC site discussing beliefs and practices.
See also: Search Destiny's Web Path Express option. Search "Islam" or "Muslim".

Judaism

Judaism 101 - Discusses the various branches of Judaism
My Jewish Learning- Provides information on culture and beliefs.
See also: Search Destiny's Web Path Express option. Search "Judaism" will provide several excellent sites.

Protestantism

American Baptist Churches USA - Provides information about the church's doctrines and spiritual and educational projects. See also: Southern Baptist further down this list
Assemblies of God - Pentecostal denomination with roots in the religious revival movement of the 19th century.
Church of Christ, Scientist- Detailed history of the church and an explanation of its beliefs.
Church of Latter Day Saints - Also known as Mormon Church.
Church of the Nazarene - Organized in the early 20th century, site includes information about history, beliefs, ministries and missions.
CBAmerica- The Conservative Baptist Association of America.
The Episcopal Church, USA- Contains information about the Episcopalian beliefs within the Anglican Church. Visitor's Center link provides questions and answers about fundamental beliefs of Episcopalian doctrine.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - This denomination began in 1988 with the merger several Lutheran branches. Describes the church and its beliefs and activities at home and abroad.
Friends United Meeting - The worldwide association of Friends (Quakers). Includes beliefs, ministries and international missions. See the Quaker Life archive for insight into the church's beliefs.
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - Formed from 15 congregations in the mid-19th century known as the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States. Introduction to history, beliefs, rituals, ministry programs and worldwide mission outreach.
Methodist - See below - United Methodist Church.
Presbyterian Church in America - Formed in the early 1970's after splitting with the larger Presbyterian Church over differences in interpretation of scripture. In addition to discussion of beliefs, also includes vision for the future.
Presbyterian Church USA - One of the largest Protestant denominations in the United States that traces its roots back to the Protestant Reformation. Incorporates the beliefs of John Calvin.
Southern Baptist Convention - Largest branch of the Baptist Church in America and largest Protestant denomination in the country. Introduction to denominational beliefs and church networks.
United Methodist Church - Second largest Protestant denomination in America formed in 1968 through the merger of two denominations. Detailed information about the church's ministries and work toward church unity.
Unitarian Universalist Assocation - Formed in 1961 with the merger of several churches.
United Church of Christ - Formed in 1957 by the merger of Evangelical and Reformed Churches with Congregational Christian Churches. Site contains an extensive history of the church and its predecessor churches and an examination of the UCC's beliefs.
United Pentecostal Church International - Established in 1945 with the merger of two Pentecostal churches. Site discusses doctrine.

Other

Jehovah's Witness - This page explains beliefs. Click on the official web site link in the upper left corner to access the home page.
Scientology, Church of - Scientology has been termed a cult rather than a religion

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5th grade ~ Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras History- Describes the history of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Mardi Gras Glossary - You've heard of Mardi Gras? How about Lundi Gras? Found out here.

Puzzlemaker- Time for some fun!